Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres finished 20 points back of Montreal who didn’t even make the Playoffs last year.
The Sabres probably don’t have a good chance to make the playoffs this year. They aren’t impressive in net, they aren’t deep at forward or on the blue line.
But they could surprise.
They’ve got a very nice set of building blocks in Jack Eichel and Rasmus Dahlin, and several players who, if they are as good as advertised could make the Sabres a very strong team.
If Jeff Skinner continues to be an elite scorer, while Casey Middlestat and Sam Rienhart continue to improve, the Sabres could surprise.
I have no idea if top prospect Dylan Cozen makes their team, but if he does the Sabres have the upside of a possible six elite players. It’s not likely that happens this year, but when it does, all they’ll need is decent goaltending to be good.
For now, they’ll have to be content to start in sixth. I don’t think they’ll stay so low for long, however, because Dahlin and Eichel alone could get them into the playoffs.
Those two are upper echelon superstars, and you can’t count a team with two of the best players in the league completely out of it. If Dahlin takes the quantum leap forward that he is capable of making, look out.
It’s probably not going to happen for them this year, but still, with Montreal and Ottawa years away from contention, the Toronto Maple Leafs can at least count on one of their main rivals being good sooner than later.